Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of producing beverages or other liquid
comestibles on the basis of ingredients which are contained in a capsule.
Background of the invention
[0002] The invention relates particularly to beverage production machines comprising a module
with a first capsule engagement member, which can be displaced relative to a second
co-operating capsule engagement member between an opened capsule insertion position
and a closed capsule-enclosure position. The module comprises means for actively retracting
the capsule from the beverage production position to a capsule discharge position
in which the capsule is ejected from the module. Such a machine presents the advantage
of having a capsule discharge position which is offset relative to the beverage production
position. This advantage is of interest when the machine and the capsule are conceived
for delivering the beverage directly out of the capsule in a cup without the beverage
contacting the machine since it enables the discharge of the capsule in a position
which is offset relative to the vertical of the beverage flow path. Such a beverage
production machine is described in
EP-A1-2033551,
WO 2011/144479 or
WO 2015/032651.
[0003] In such a machine, the capsule is introduced in the beverage production module, is
retained by pre-fixation arms in a pre-engagement position and is then engaged by
a first engagement member, of which internal shape matches the capsule shape further
to the movement of the first engagement member to the capsule. At the end of this
movement, the capsule is clamped between the first and the second engagement members
and the diluent, generally hot water, can be introduced to interact with the ingredients
in the capsule. The resulting beverage flows out of the capsule either through an
outlet provided in the capsule or/and produced by the machine during the capsule engagement
and falls by gravity in a cup. Once beverage has been delivered, the first engagement
member moves back to the capsule discharge position dragging the capsule towards a
position offset relative to the vertical of the beverage flow path. The movement of
the first engagement member is a combination of a linear movement and an end swivelling
movement so that the capsule can fall by gravity from the first engagement member.
[0004] The module comprises means for retaining the rim of the capsule extending beyond
the first capsule engagement member when the first capsule engagement member is displaced
from the beverage production position to its capsule discharge position. These means
consist in two tabs symmetrically positioned or slightly offset on the lateral walls
of the frame of the module and able to retain the rim of the capsule.
[0005] Presently capsules used with this machine commercialised under the trademark Special-T
by Nestle are made of aluminium.
[0006] It has been noticed that these capsules can be easily and irremediably deformed during
storage, in particular if they are stored in bulk. Actually, since the capsules are
used as brewing chambers and must enable tea leaves opening, these capsules present
rather big dimensions and tea leaves are not compacted inside. Consequently, external
forces exerted on the aluminium foil lead to plastic deformation of the capsule wall
and to a less attractive aspect.
[0007] In order to avoid deformation, capsules are stored in specific packaging comprising
trays wherein each capsule is prevented from contacting the other capsules. The solution
is efficient but such packaging increases storage volume and is costly.
[0008] In order to provide non deformable capsules, it has been proposed to make capsules
in plastic material. Yet it has been noticed that depending on the nature of the material
the capsules are made of, different unforeseeable problems arose during beverage preparation.
[0009] First, when the capsules are made of plastic material by simply reproducing the same
identical shape as the aluminium ones, it has been noticed that once used for producing
a beverage, the extracted capsules are deformed and do not present their original
shape any longer. Precisely the lateral rounded sides of the capsule originally convex
before use, become concave after extraction as if the capsule had been internally
sucked. This change of shape can have a bad impact on the feeling of the user about
the quality of the final beverage, specifically raising questions about a potential
reaction between the plastic material and hot water, though there is no issue. This
deformation happens during extraction and it was unexpected to face such a deformation
by simply changing the nature of the material the capsule is made of.
[0010] It was also noticed that, when the capsules are fully made of plastic material, it
becomes difficult for the user to manually actuate the machine. Indeed in this machine,
the movement of capsule engagement members is due to the manual actuation of a lever
by the user. The manual handling is more difficult with a capsule in plastic because,
when the user initiates the mechanical movement of the capsule engagement members,
the piercing of the back side of the plastic capsule requires a stronger force and
is perceived as a difficult movement. Finally the ergonomic feeling is not pleasant.
[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide plastic capsules for the above machines
that do not deform under the hot water extraction.
[0012] It would be advantageous to provide plastic capsules for the above machines that
provide a pleasant ergonomic feeling during manual actuation of the machine.
Summary of the invention
[0013] In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a capsule containing beverage
ingredient, such as tea leaves, configured for preparing a beverage, such as tea,
by injection of hot water therein and comprising :
- a housing for storing said beverage ingredient, said housing comprising :
- a front opened side,
- a back side comprising a water injection area, said water injection area comprising
a hole in the housing,
- a rim extending from the front opened side/face, and
- a front cover and/or a wall closing the front opened side of the housing, and
- a back cover closing the hole of the water injection area, and
the housing presenting a cross section varying from the back side to the front side
from a circular section to a globally triangular section - with smooth rounded corners
- respectively, and
wherein :
- the housing is made of plastic material, and
- the back side of the housing comprises a hollow around the water injection area, said
hollow extending inside the internal volume of the housing and said hollow extending
at least along an annular portion surrounding the hole of the water injection area.
[0014] The capsule is configured for preparing a beverage, preferably tea, by injection
of hot water therein. Water is injected through the water injection area so as to
fill the housing and brew beverage ingredient within the capsule. The resulting beverage
is dispensed through the front side, preferably through an opening pierced in the
front wall and/or cover, during the process of preparation.
[0015] The housing of the capsule is a container presenting a cross section shape varying
between a circular and a triangular profile with smooth rounded corners. Preferably
the triangular profile is isosceles and the two equal sides are longer than the third
side.
[0016] Generally the water injection area is a plane surface.
[0017] Capsules presenting such a shape are commercialised under the trademark Special-T
by Nestle. The housing of these commercialised capsules is made of aluminium.
[0018] The capsule contains at least one beverage ingredient. The beverage ingredients can
be for example selected in the following list: tea leaves, herbal or fruit tea leaves,
roast and ground coffee, soluble beverage ingredients, ... It is preferably tea or
herbal or fruit tea leaves.
[0019] In the present capsule, the housing is made of plastic material. In particular, this
plastic material is able to be shaped by thermoforming or injection moulding. It is
usually a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer. It is food agreed due to its use
for preparing a beverage, like polypropylene (PP).
[0020] If made by thermoforming, which is the preferred embodiment, this material can be
selected in the list of PP (polypropylene) based layers material, in particular PP-EVOH-PP
layered materials (EVOH meaning ethylene vinyl alcohol). The different layers can
comprise regrind plastic material layers, binding material layers and/or colouring
material layers too.
[0021] The present invention particularly applies to plastic capsules wherein the plastic
material of the housing is deformed if it is heated and simultaneously submitted to
a compression force, that is to say the plastic material can be deformed by buckling.
[0022] The housing is shaped so as to comprise a hollow or a groove on its external surface.
[0023] This hollow surrounds the water injection area at the back face of the housing.
[0024] In one dimension this hollow extends within the internal volume of the housing.
[0025] In another dimension, this hollow extends at least along an annular portion surrounding
the hole of the water injection area.
[0026] According to the preferred mode, the hollow can present the shape of a ring surrounding
the hole of the water injection area.
[0027] According to an alternative mode, the hollow can present the shape of a circle comprising
the hole of the water injection area.
[0028] According to a less preferred mode, the hollow can present any shape (oval, square,
...) as long as said hollow extends at least along an annular portion surrounding
the hole of the water injection area.
[0029] According to one preferred embodiment, the housing presents :
- a largest height comprised between 47,9 and 48,5 mm, and preferably of about 48,18
mm, and
- a largest width comprised between 36,7 and 37,3 mm, and preferably of about 37 mm,
and
- a largest depth comprised between 24,1 and 24,3 mmm and preferably of about 24,43
mm.
[0030] Preferably, with the above preferred dimensions, the annular portion surrounding
the hole of the water injection area and along which the hollow extends presents an
internal diameter of 10 mm and an external diameter of 14 mm.
[0031] This hollow extending at least along the annular portion surrounding the hole of
the water injection area is sufficient to avoid the deformation of the shape of the
housing made in plastic further to the introduction of hot water (generally of at
least 70 °C) in the housing by means of a machine of the type commercialised under
the trademark Special-T by Nestle.
[0032] As mentioned above, in the preferred mode, the hollow presents the shape of an annular
portion or ring surrounding the hole of the water injection area.
[0033] As the groove usually extends from the external surface of the housing inside the
internal volume of the housing, the volume of the groove slightly impedes the internal
volume of the housing compared to a groove in form of a circle (which is an alternative
mode). Indeed keeping the internal volume of the housing as large as possible is critical
for maintaining an optimal brewing of tea leaves inside the capsule. Yet, with the
above preferred dimensions of the housing, providing a circle with a diameter of 14
mm at the back side of the housing impacts the internal volume of the capsule by a
decrease of more than 6 % compared to the existing capsules made of aluminium. Accordingly
a hollow in shape of an annular portion or ring is preferred in order to keep the
internal volume as large as possible.
[0034] Generally, at least along the annular portion surrounding the hole of the water injection
area, the depth of the hollow is of at least 0,7 mm, and is preferably of about 0,9
mm.
[0035] The water injection area at the back side of the housing comprises a hole in the
housing. The back side presents usually one single hole. This hole is configured for
receiving a water injection needle when the capsule is used in a beverage preparation
machine.
[0036] This hole is covered by a back cover. The back cover is preferably attached at the
inside of the housing. Generally this back cover is pierceable by a needle. It is
preferably made of aluminium. AlOx coated PET films can also be used or any other
food agreed pierceable cover.
[0037] Preferably a part of the water injection area around the hole is flat. Accordingly
the back cover can be more efficiently attached to the housing to close the hole.
[0038] Generally the hole at the back side of the housing presents the shape of a circle.
[0039] Usually the hole presents a diameter of at least 4 mm, preferably of at least 5 mm,
even more preferably superior or equal to 6 mm.
[0040] Accordingly, when the capsule is pierced by the needle of a beverage preparation
machine, the piercing movement is soft for the operator and there is no risk that
the needle slides in an inappropriate manner against the edge of the hole at the back
side of the housing and its movement being hampered by the plastic wall of the capsule.
It is the same when the needle is retracted from the capsule during the ejection step.
Even if the capsule is not perfectly immobile at the times when the needle moves in
and out of the hole, the dimension of the hole guarantees that the needle does not
interact with the plastic wall of the capsule, impinging the soft movement of the
capsule in the machine. Specifically this hole is sufficient to avoid any problem
in the movement of the plastic capsule within a machine of the type commercialised
under the trademark Special-T by Nestle.
[0041] Usually the housing of the capsule is manufactured by thermoforming and then punching
of the hole at the back side.
[0042] Preferably the housing of the capsule is made by a process of thermoforming starting
from a plastic sheet comprises the steps of :
- heating the plastic sheet to a pliable forming temperature,
- forming several housings to the desired shape in the plastic sheet, and
- trimming the housing(s).
[0043] The hole at the back side is usually formed by punching the back side of the housing
in a further step. Punching the back side of the capsule with precision is not always
possible and, although it is desired to position the hole very accurately at the centre
of the back side of the housing, it frequently happens that the hole is not centred.
Actually the tolerance for the position of the hole resulting from the punching is
of about +/- 0,2 mm. The consequence of this bad centring of the hole at the back
side of the capsule is that the risk the back hole is not well positioned relatively
to the water needle in the beverage production module during beverage production and
impinges the movement of the water needle is increased. Yet the plastic capsule such
as defined above limits this risk. In particular the dimension of the back hole guarantees
that a capsule produced with the worst tolerance remains well handled in the beverage
production module.
[0044] In an alternative way, the housing can be produced by injection moulding. In that
case the hole in the back can be produced during moulding and the bad centring of
the hole is not an issue.
[0045] In the following step of manufacture, the back side cover is attached to the back
side of the housing in order to close the back side hole. Preferably this cover is
attached to the internal surface of the housing surrounding the hole. Attachment can
be made with glue, by ultrasound welding or by thermosealing. In order to get a good
attachment it is preferred that the edge of the cover is strongly attached to the
housing around the hole. For this reason, the dimension of the hole shall be set so
that the cover can be attached on a rather flat area. Generally an area presenting
a width of at least 2 mm is preferred. Accordingly, the hole at the back side of the
housing at the back side of the housing can present a diameter of at most 12 mm, preferably
at most 11 mm, even more preferably of at most 10 mm.
[0046] In the following step of manufacture, the housing can be filled with beverage ingredient
before closing the front side with a cover and/or a wall such as described hereunder.
[0047] The capsule can comprise a wall at the font opened side of the housing. This wall
can provide a function of guiding the beverage out of the capsule and/or a function
of facilitating opening of a beverage outlet from the capsule and/or an identification
function. Whatever the function, the wall always comprises an opening providing an
outlet path for beverage prepared in the capsule. The opening can be through the wall
or can result from the use of a partially truncated wall.
[0048] The capsule can comprise a wall at the front side of the housing, said wall comprising
at least one beverage overflow hole.
[0049] Preferably a filter is attached to said wall so that the filter covers the at least
at least one beverage overflow hole.
[0050] Preferably the filter is attached to the side of the wall facing the internal enclosure
of the housing.
[0051] In a particular embodiment, such a wall can be designed according to the teaching
of
WO 2007/042414.
[0052] Accordingly, when the capsule comprises tea leaves, a tea beverage of optimised quality
and deprived of tea leaves fines is produced.
[0053] The capsule can comprise a wall at the front side of the housing, said wall comprising
an identification member on its outside face, said identification member being designed
for being physically contacted.
[0054] Such a wall comprising an identification member can be designed according to the
teaching of
EP-A-1 950 150.
[0055] Accordingly, information about the optimal preparation of the beverage from the beverage
ingredient can be coded through the identification member.
[0056] The capsule can comprise a wall at the front side of the housing, said wall comprising
at least one beverage overflow hole and an identification member on its outside face.
Preferably a filter is attached to said wall so that the filter covers the at least
at least one beverage overflow hole.
[0057] Preferably the capsule comprises a front cover, said front cover closing the front
side of the housing. Usually the front cover is a plane cover. At least a part of
the front cover is preferably pierceable or tearable.
[0058] Preferably the front cover is made of:
- a monolayer membrane like aluminium, or
- a multilayer membrane like laminates of PET/aluminium/PP (PET = polyethylene terephthalate),
PE/EVOH/PP, PET/metallised/PP, aluminium/PP, laminates of paper.
[0059] The front cover guarantees the freshness and the hygiene of beverage ingredient stored
in the capsule. The front cover is usually food agreed.
[0060] The front cover guarantees the freshness and the hygiene of beverage ingredient stored
in the capsule.
[0061] According to the preferred embodiment, the capsule comprises a wall at the front
side of the housing and a cover closing the front side of the housing above the wall.
[0062] In said embodiment, preferably the wall comprises a shearing member on its outside
face, said shearing member being designed to tear the cover when the capsule is clamped
in the beverage preparation machine.
[0063] Accordingly a beverage outlet can be made in the cover when the capsule is clamped
in the machine.
[0064] The capsule of the present invention usually presents a rim extending from the edge
of the front side. Preferably the rim presents a flat surface. Preferably a cover
is fixed on this rim. Preferably the capsule comprises an identification member such
as described above under the cover.
[0065] Preferably the capsule comprises a filter under the cover.
[0066] Preferably the capsule comprises an overflow wall under the cover.
[0067] Preferably the capsule is configured for preparing and dispensing a beverage with
the front side positioned vertically within a beverage preparation machine.
[0068] According to a
second aspect, there is provided a beverage production system comprising a capsule such as described
above and a module for producing a beverage from the capsule,
- the module comprising :
- a first capsule engagement member, which can be displaced relative to a second, co-operating
capsule engagement member between a capsule discharge position and a beverage production
position,
- a means for actively retracting the first capsule engagement member from the beverage
production position to the capsule discharge position in which the capsule is discharged
from the first capsule engagement member,
- the displaceable first capsule engagement member comprising :
- a capsule receptacle, said capsule receptacle shape matching at least a part of the
outer shape of the housing of the capsule, and
- a water needle for entering the capsule through the hole at the back side of the capsule
housing and injecting water in the capsule, and
- a seal at the basis of the water needle, said seal comprising at least one annular
part, said at least annular part matching at least the shape of the annular portion
of the hollow surrounding the hole of the water injection area of the capsule.
[0069] The module for producing a beverage of the system can present the features of the
module described in
EP-A1-2 033 551. It comprises two co-operating capsule engagement members, the first member being
displaceable between a closed position in which the capsule is engaged between the
two members and called the beverage production position and an open position in which
no capsule is engaged by the members and called the capsule discharge position.
[0070] When the first member is in the beverage production position, a beverage can be extracted
from the capsule and dispensed in a drinking container.
[0071] The capsule discharge position is distinct from the beverage production position.
Accordingly the capsule discharge position is offset relative to the beverage production
position that is to the vertical of the beverage flow path.
[0072] The displaceable first capsule engagement member comprises a capsule receptacle.
The internal surface of the receptacle matches at least a part of the outer shape
of the housing of the capsule meaning that the capsule receptacle presents a cross
section varying from the back side to the front side from a circular section to an
essentially triangular section - with smooth rounded corners - respectively, as for
the capsule. Preferably the internal surface of the receptacle matches at least the
outer shape of the back part of the housing of the capsule.
[0073] This receptacle presents a sidewall and a mouth that delimit with the second capsule
engagement member at least part of a brewing chamber for containing the capsule.
[0074] The module comprises means for displacing the first capsule engagement member between
the two positions. It is preferably a handle. For example a handle such as described
in
WO 2015/032651 or
WO 2007/134960.
[0075] The module is designed for injecting water into the capsule and having beverage drained
from the capsule while the capsule is in the beverage production position.
[0076] Preferably the second engagement member is a front wall against which the first member
can push the capsule. Once pushed against the front wall, an outlet can be opened
in the capsule so that beverage can flow from said outlet and flows along the front
wall in a drinking container.
[0077] Accordingly the module, preferably the second capsule engagement member, can comprise
an opening means for entering and generally piercing the capsule and producing a beverage
outlet in the capsule. The opening means can be a puncher as described in
WO 2010/146101. This opening means is generally placed adjacent to the second capsule engagement
member or can even be part of this second capsule engagement member. According to
another embodiment the capsule can present an opened beverage outlet before being
introduced in the module.
[0078] In the preferred embodiment, the second engagement member is essentially positioned
to the vertical of the beverage flow path.
[0079] The displaceable first capsule engagement member comprises a water needle for entering
the hole of the water injection area and piercing the cover covering said hole, and
injecting water in the capsule. This needle protrudes from the internal surface of
the first capsule engagement member.
[0080] The needle presents a seal at its basis protruding from said surface. The seal aims
to avoid water or beverage leaking from the hole pierced in the water injection area
of the capsule upstream to the internal parts of the machine.
[0081] This seal is generally made of a flexible and resilient material like an elastomer.
It can be made of silicone rubber.
[0082] This seal comprises at least one annular ring. This annular ring is generally centred
on the basis of the needle. This annular ring of the seal matches at least the shape
of the annular portion of the hollow surrounding the hole of the water injection area
in the capsule.
[0083] During the displacement of the first capsule engagement member to the beverage production
position, the first capsule engagement member surrounds the capsule, the needle pierces
the cover at the water injection area of the capsule and protrudes inside the capsule.
Simultaneously the annular seal at the basis of the needle cooperates with the hollow
at the back side of the housing of the capsule :_due to the hollow in the capsule,
the annular seal of the needle enters in this hollow.
[0084] In this position, hot water can be introduced through the needle in the plastic capsule
to brew the beverage ingredient. Once the capsule is further extracted from the machine,
the plastic capsule presents the same shape as when it was introduced in the machine
before beverage preparation, although hot water has been injected inside.
[0085] According to one particular embodiment of the above system :
- the capsule comprises a back hole presenting a diameter of at least 4 mm, preferably
of at least 5 mm, even more preferably superior or equal to 6 mm,
- the capsule presents a rim size such that at least a part of the rim of the capsule
extends beyond at least a part of the first capsule engagement member once it is engaged
in the first capsule engagement member, and
- the displaceable first capsule engagement member comprises holding means configured
for holding the capsule within the capsule receptacle,
- the module comprises at least two means for retaining the rim of the capsule extending
beyond the first capsule engagement member when said first capsule engagement member
is displaced from the beverage production position to its capsule discharge position,
wherein said holding means are discrete hooks configured to engage with the rim of
the capsule, and
wherein said two means for retaining the rim of the capsule are configured so that,
during the displacement of the first capsule engagement member from the beverage production
position to its capsule discharge position, one of the two retaining means engages
the rim of the capsule before the other retaining means.
[0086] The displaceable first capsule engagement member comprises holding means configured
for holding the capsule within the capsule receptacle. These holding means aim to
holding the capsule inside the capsule receptacle when the first capsule engagement
member is actively retracted from the beverage production position to the capsule
discharge position. These holding means guarantee that the capsule does not remain
stick to the second engagement member while the first engagement member is retracted.
These holding means are discrete hooks configured to engage with the rim of the capsule.
[0087] Preferably the displaceable first capsule engagement member comprises two hooks configured
to engage with the rim of the capsule, said hooks being positioned on the lateral
sides of the front face of the capsule receptacle. Preferably these two hooks are
positioned on the lateral sides of the front face of the capsule receptacle.
[0088] The hooks and the first capsule engagement member can be made of the same plastic
material so that the hooks can be moulded as one single piece with that first capsule
engagement member.
[0089] According to one preferred embodiment, each hook is an arm extending from a lateral
side of the front face of the capsule receptacle, said arm presenting a slanted end
and comprising a vertical slit. The slanted end enables each hook to engage progressively
with the rim of the capsule when the first capsule engagement member moves to the
capsule to surround it and press it against the second engagement member. The rim
of the capsule slides along the slanted end and is led to the vertical slit configured
to hold said rim.
[0090] According to said particular embodiment of the system, the two means for retaining
the rim of the capsule are configured so that, during the displacement of the first
capsule engagement member from the beverage production position to its capsule discharge
position, one of the two retaining means engages the rim of the capsule before the
other retaining mean engages the capsule rim.
[0091] Accordingly the capsule is disengaged from the first capsule engagement member in
two short close steps :
- first, one lateral rim of the capsule is engaged by the first retaining means. This
first retaining means hold the rim of the capsule and removes the rim of the capsule
from the first hook of the first capsule engagement member,
- secondly, the other lateral rim of the capsule is engaged by the second retaining
means. This second retaining means hold the rim of the capsule and removes the rim
of the capsule from the second hook of the first capsule engagement member.
[0092] Consequently the removal of the rim of the capsule from the two hooks is split in
two steps. As the forces necessary for removing the rim successively from each hook
are inferior to the force necessary for removing the rim simultaneously from both
hooks, the capsule can be removed from the member having the shape of a hollow bell
with less force. Consequently there is no risk that the capsule is thrown out of the
first capsule engagement member horizontally in direction of the front of the module
and remains blocked in the machine in place of simply dragging down in the capsule
bin, preventing the introduction of any new capsule within the module.
[0093] Then the capsule is retained through its rim by both retaining means while the first
engagement member finishes the course of its movement. At the end of this movement
the first engagement member fully releases the capsule from the capsule receptacle
and the capsule is free to fall downwards, preferably in a capsule collecting bin.
[0094] Preferably one retaining means is positioned on each lateral side of the longitudinal
axis of displacement of the first capsule engagement member and the positions of the
two retaining means along said longitudinal axis of displacement are offset one relative
to the other. Generally the positions of the two retaining means along the longitudinal
axis of the frame of the module are offset one relative to the other by at least 1
mm, preferably, at most 5 mm, even more preferably between 3 and 4 mm.
[0095] Preferably tabs are positioned in the lateral walls of the module so as to engage
a part of the rim of the capsule, said part being close to the portion of the rim
engaged with one of the hooks.
[0096] During the movement of removal of the capsule from the first capsule engagement member,
due to the successive engagements of the capsule rim with the first retaining means
and then the second retaining means, the capsule becomes laterally tilted. During
this step and this change of orientation, the water needle extending through the hole
at the back side of the housing is not aligned with the axis of said hole any longer.
Yet, with the capsule such as described above, the dimension of the hole is such that
the needle is prevented from rubbing against the edge of the hole during this misalignment
of the capsule with the needle.
[0097] According to a
third aspect, there is provided the use of a capsule such as described above in a beverage production
system such as described above wherein :
- the water needle enters the hole comprised in the water injection area at the back
side of the capsule housing, and
- the annular part of the seal at the basis of the water needle cooperates with the
hollow surrounding the hole of the water injection area of the capsule.
[0098] According to a
fourth aspect, there is provided a beverage production system comprising :
- a module for producing a beverage from a capsule comprising :
- a first capsule engagement member, which can be displaced relative to a second, co-operating
capsule engagement member between a capsule discharge position and a beverage production
position,
- a means for actively retracting the first capsule engagement member from the beverage
production position to the capsule discharge position in which the capsule is discharged
from the first capsule engagement member,
- the displaceable first capsule engagement member comprising :
- a capsule receptacle, said capsule receptacle shape matching at least a part of the
outer shape of the housing of the capsule, and
- a water needle for entering the capsule through the hole at the back side of the capsule
housing and injecting water in the capsule, and
- a seal at the basis of the water needle, said seal comprising at least one annular
part, said at least annular part matching at least the shape of the annular portion
of the hollow surrounding the hole of the water injection area of the capsule,
and
- a capsule containing beverage ingredient, such as tea leaves, configured for preparing
a beverage, such as tea, by injection of hot water therein and comprising :
- a housing for storing said beverage ingredient, said housing comprising :
- a front opened side,
- a back side comprising a water injection area, said water injection area comprising
a hole in the housing,
- a rim extending from the front opened side, and
- a front cover and/or a wall closing the front opened side of the housing, and
- a back cover closing the hole of the water injection area, and
- the housing presenting a cross section varying from the back side to the front side
from a circular section to a globally triangular section - with smooth rounded corners
- respectively, and
wherein :
- the housing is made of plastic material, and
- the back side of the housing is designed so that it is not squeezed against the seal
at the basis of the water needle when the capsule is housed in the capsule receptacle
and the first capsule engagement member is in the beverage production position.
[0099] According to one embodiment, in such a system, the back side of the housing can be
flat and the depth of the housing of the capsule can be dimensioned to avoid that
the seal is squeezed against the back side of the capsule.
[0100] According to
a fifth aspect, there is provided a housing of a capsule for holding beverage ingredient, said housing
comprising :
- a front opened side,
- a back side comprising a water injection area, said water injection area comprising
a hole in the housing,
- a rim extending from the front opened side, and
- the housing presenting a cross section varying from the back side to the front side
from a circular section to a globally triangular section - with smooth rounded corners
- respectively, and
wherein :
- the housing is made of plastic material, and
- the back side of the housing comprises a hollow around the water injection area, said
hollow extending inside the internal volume of the housing and said hollow extending
at least along an annular portion surrounding the hole of the water injection area.
[0101] A back cover can close the hole of the water injection area.
[0102] In the present application the terms "internal", "external", "back", "front", "bottom"
and "lateral" are used to describe the relational positioning of features of the invention.
These terms should be understood to refer to the capsule in its normal orientation
when positioned in the module for producing a beverage or to the module in its normal
orientation when used for producing a beverage as shown in the figures 8, 9, 12a to
12f, 13a to 13c.
Brief description of the drawings
[0103] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood in
relation to the following figures :
- Figures 1a and 1b are perspective views of a capsule according to the invention,
- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the internal part of the housing of the capsule
of Figures 1a and 1b,
- Figure 3 is a side view of the capsule of Figures 1a and 1b,
- Figure 4a is the cross section view of the capsule of Figure 3 according to A-A,
- Figure 4b is the cross section view of the capsule of Figure 3 according to B-B,
- Figure 4c is the cross section view of the capsule of Figure 3 according to C-C,
- Figure 4d is the cross section view of the capsule of Figure 3 according to D-D,
- Figure 4e is the cross section view of the capsule of Figure 3 according to E-E,
- Figure 5 is a magnified view of the back side of the housing of the capsule of Figures
1a and 1b,
- Figure 5a is a cross-sectional view of the capsule as taken along plane P of Figure
5,
- Figure 5b-5d illustrate a variant of the hollow at the back side of the capsule,
- Figure 6 is a perspective view of a capsule comprising a wall,
- Figure 7 is a perspective view of a capsule comprising a filter,
- Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a module for producing a beverage from
a capsule in the system of the present invention in its capsule discharge position,
- Figure 8a is an extracted view of Figure 8,
- Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the module for producing a beverage
with the capsule in its beverage production position,
- Figure 9a is an extracted view of Figure 9,
- Figures 10a illustrates a first capsule engagement member of the module for producing
a beverage,
- Figure 10b is a magnified top view of one of the hook of the first engagement member
of Figure 10a,
- Figure 11a is a back view of the first capsule engagement member of Figure 10a with
a capsule engaged inside,
- Figure 11b is the front view of the first capsule engagement member of Figure 10a
with a capsule engaged inside,
- Figures 12a to 12f are schematic top views of the module and the capsule illustrating
the movement of a capsule in the module from its introduction to its ejection,
- Figures 13a to 13c are horizontal cross section views of the module illustrating the
movement of the capsule in the module from its beverage production position to its
way to the discharge position,
- Figure 14 is a magnified view of the Figure 13c,
- Figure 15 illustrates a beverage preparation machine comprising the beverage production
system of the invention,
- Figure 16 illustrates a capsule designed for the system of the present invention.
Detailed description of the drawings
[0104] Figures 1a and 1b are views of a capsule 1 according to the invention. The capsule comprises a housing
12 defining an internal volume for storing beverage ingredients. This housing is made
of plastic material, preferably a plastic material that can be thermoformed, even
more preferably a plastic made from polypropylene polymer.
[0105] Figure 1a shows the back side 122 of said housing. In the present invention, back
side refers to the side where water is introduced in the capsule, whereas the front
side refers to the side the beverage is dispensed from. At said back side, the housing
presents a water injection area 123 comprising a hole 124 in the housing. This hole
is configured for cooperating with and enabling the passage of the water injection
needle of a module for producing beverage form the capsule and illustrated hereunder
in Figures 8, 9. Preferably this hole is closed by a cover 15. This cover is made
of a material pierceable by the water injection needle. It is usually an aluminium
membrane.
[0106] Figure 1b shows the front side 121 of the housing. At said front side, the housing is closed
by a front cover 13. The cover 13 is attached to a rim 125 extending from the front
opened side of the housing. Preferably at least a part of the cover is pierceable
or tearable so that a beverage outlet can be created during beverage preparation.
The cover guarantees the freshness and the hygiene of beverage ingredient stored in
the capsule. The front cover 13 is preferably flexible and pierceable.
[0107] Figure 2 shows the housing before the beverage ingredient is introduced inside and before
its front opened side 121 is closed by the front cover 13. At the back side, the back
cover 13 is attached to the internal surface of the housing and hides and closes the
hole 124 (illustrated in dotted lines).
[0108] Figures 4a to 4e show the cross sections of the housing 12 according to different planes A-A, B-B,
C-C, D-D and E-E respectively, from the front to the back of the housing, as illustrated
in the side view of the capsule in
Figure 3. These figures show how the cross section gradually changes from a globally triangular
cross section with smooth rounded corners (Figure 4a) to a circular section (Figure
4e). Whatever the cross section, the housing 12 preferably always present smooth rounded
corners and lines. In Figure 4a, it is apparent that the triangular profile is isosceles
and the length of either one of both equal sides is greater than the length of the
third side (the upper one on Figure 3a).
[0109] In the illustrated embodiment of
Figures 1a, 5 and 5a, a hollow 126 surrounds the water injection area 123. In one dimension this hollow
extends inside the internal volume of the housing like a recess as clearly apparent
in the cross section of Figure 5a. In this embodiment this hollow presents the shape
of a ring surrounding the water injection area 123, like a groove. In the illustrated
embodiment of Figures 1a, 5 and 5a, this ring surrounds the hole 124.
[0110] In another dimension, the hollow 126 extends at least along the annular portion surrounding
the hole 124 of the water injection area as apparent in Figures 1a and 5.
[0111] The hollow 126 can be larger than this annular portion. In one particular embodiment,
the hollow 126 can present the shape of circle as illustrated in
Figures 5b to 5d. This circle encompasses the annular portion surrounding the hole 124 of the water
injection area. When the capsule 1 is made of plastic and when hot water is injected
in the housing, this hollow 126 guarantees that the shape of the capsule is not deformed.
[0112] A hollow 126 presenting the shape of an annular ring is preferred for the reason
that it does not decrease the internal volume of the housing as much as a hollow 126
presenting the shape of a circle. Actually due to the thickness t (see Figure 5a)
of the plastic wall the housing is made of, the internal volume of the capsule is
smaller than current housing made of an aluminium sheet. Indeed whereas an aluminium
sheet presents a thickness of about 0,1 mm, the thickness of a thermoformed plastic
capsule, preferably made of polypropylene polymer, is of about 0,65 mm. Changing the
nature of the capsule material from aluminium to plastic has a direct impact on the
internal volume of the capsule due to the difference of thickness of these materials.
Consequently, keeping the same external shape, the internal volume of the plastic
capsule decreases by 6 % compared to the internal volume of the aluminium capsule.
Such a difference can directly impact the quality of the beverage preparation when
the beverage is tea prepared from tea leaves. Indeed infusing tea leaves in the small
volume of a capsule can be difficult due to the swelling of tea leaves in hot water
and there is less space for having tea leaves opening in hot water. Any decrease of
the capsule volume can become critical. Consequently the design of the groove can
be determined in order to take that aspect into account. In particular an annular
ring is sufficient to keep the volume necessary for tea leaves brewing while avoiding
the shape deformation due to hot water. With such a design the decrease of the internal
volume from a capsule made of an aluminium sheet to a capsule made of thermoformed
plastic was decreased by 4,5 % only.
[0113] The dimensions of the annular portion usually depends at least on the dimensions
of the housing of the capsule.
[0114] As an example, the illustrated capsules usually comprise a housing presenting :
- a largest height H comprised between 47,9 and 48,5 mm, and
- a largest width W comprised between 36,7 and 37,3 mm, and
- a largest depth D comprised between 24,1 and 24,3 mm.
[0115] The hollow 126 preferably extends along at least an annular portion surrounding the
hole 15 of the water injection area, said annular portion presenting an internal diameter
Øi of 10 mm and an external diameter Øe of 14 mm. By diameters, it is meant the dimension
at the internal and external edges of the annular portion, as illustrated in Figures
5a.
[0116] The hollow 126 can present a shape limited to the annular portion presenting above
internal and external diameters, or can present a ring shape larger than this annular
portion or can present the shape of a circle, the ring and the circle comprising the
annular portion.
[0117] In Figure 5d, the hollow 126 is a circle encompassing the annular portion meaning
this circle present a diameter presents a diameter Ø of at least 14 mm.
[0118] Preferably the depth d of the hollow 126 is of at least 0,7 mm, and preferably of
about 0,9 mm, either in Figure 5a or 5d.
[0119] These dimensions H, W, D are illustrated in Figures 1b and 1c and these dimensions
Øi, Øe, Ø, w, t and d are illustrated in Figures 5a and 5d.
[0120] As illustrated in
Figures 1a, 5 and 5a, the housing 12 comprises a water injection area 123 comprising a hole 124 in the
housing. Preferably the hole 15 of the water injection area is circular and presents
a diameter d
h of at least 4 mm, preferably of at least 5 mm, and even more preferably of at least
6 mm.
[0121] Figure 6 illustrates a capsule comprising a front wall 14 at the front side of the housing.
[0122] The front wall 14 comprises two beverage overflow holes 141. These overflow holes
141 prevent the beverage from leaving the capsule too rapidly and before tea leaves
have been sufficiently brewed.
[0123] In a preferred mode, the front wall 14 can comprises identification member 142, here
holes or absence of holes, designed for being physically contacted by an identification
unit of the beverage preparation module. Such a front wall 14 comprising an identification
member can be designed according to the teaching of
EP-A-1 950 150. Accordingly, information about the optimal preparation of the beverage from the
beverage ingredient can be coded through the identification member.
[0124] The front wall 14 is usually positioned just under the front cover 13 of the capsule.
[0125] In a preferred mode, the front wall 14 can comprise a shearing member 143 on its
front face, said shearing member being designed to tear the front cover 13 when the
capsule is clamped in the beverage preparation machine further to the interaction
of the shearing member with an opening member of the beverage preparation module.
Accordingly a beverage outlet can be made in the front cover 13 when the capsule is
clamped in the machine. Such a shearing member is described in
WO 2010/146101.
[0126] Figure 7 illustrates a capsule comprising a filter 16 at the front side 121 of the housing.
The filter prevents tea leaves from leaving the capsule. In a preferred embodiment
the filter is attached to the back side of the wall 14 comprising overflow holes 141
so that the filter covers these holes.
[0127] In a particular embodiment, such a wall can be designed according to the teaching
of
WO 2007/042414.
[0128] Accordingly, when the capsule comprises tea leaves, a tea beverage of optimised quality
and deprived of tea leaves fines is produced.
[0129] Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a module 2 for producing a beverage from a capsule according to the invention.
The module 2 enables the introduction and the positioning of the capsule for the preparation
of a beverage and the ejection of the capsule.
[0130] In Figure 8 the module is illustrated in its opened position, that is to say a position
where no capsule has been introduced yet. The module 2 is ready for receiving a capsule.
The module 2 comprises a frame 21. The module comprises a first capsule engagement
member 3 and a second capsule engagement member 4. The second member 4 is fixed whereas
the first member 3 is mobile and displaceable between a capsule discharge position
(as illustrated in Figure 8) and a beverage production position (as illustrated in
Figure 9).
[0131] The module comprises an actuator 5 that an operator actuates manually to initiate
a beverage preparation once a capsule has been introduced in the module through an
opening 7. Once an operator has introduced a capsule in the module 2 through the opening
7, the capsule is retained in front of the second capsule engagement member 4 by support
means 71 on which the edge of the capsule leans.
[0132] The actuator 5 induces the movement of the first capsule engagement member 3 to the
second capsule engagement member 4 by pushing down the actuator 5 with the effect
of enclosing the capsule retained by the support means 71 between the two capsule
engagement members 3, 4 as illustrated in Figure 9.
[0133] The displaceable first capsule engagement member 3 comprises a capsule receptacle
31, said capsule receptacle shape matching at least a part of the outer shape of the
housing of the capsule when it is displaced to the beverage production position (Figure
9).
[0134] The displaceable first capsule engagement member 3 comprises a water needle 6 for
piercing the back cover of the capsule, entering the capsule and injecting water in
the capsule. The needle is in fluid connection with a hot water supply (not illustrated).
[0135] The displaceable first capsule engagement member 3 comprises a seal 32 at the basis
of the water needle 6. This seal guarantees that no water leaks in the machine. Indeed,
during beverage preparation the capsule is completely filled with hot water and water
may leak from the hole produced by the needle in the back cover 15 of the capsule.
Water leakage would dirty the machine, avoids correct beverage preparation since a
part of water would not be in contact with beverage ingredient.
[0136] Figure 8a is an extracted and magnified view of the seal 32 and the needle 6 of Figure 8. The
seal comprises two annular parts 321, 322 of different diameters. One annular part
321 guarantees that no liquid leaks in the parts of the beverage preparation machine
upstream the needle, whereas the other annular part 322 guarantees that no liquid
flows to the opened mouth of the first capsule engagement member.
[0137] The seal is usually made of an elastomeric or rubber material presenting resilient
and flexible properties. Figure 8a illustrates the seal at rest that is to say not
compressed by the capsule.
Figure 9a is an extracted and magnified view of the back side of the capsule, the seal 32 and
the needle 6 of Figure 9. The back side of the capsule is pressed against the larger
annular part 322 of the seal but not against the smaller annular part 321 on account
of the recess 126 at the back side of the capsule that matches the shape of said smallest
annular part 321. The seal provides its effect in terms of water leakage since it
guarantees an effective sealing with the largest annular part 322, yet this sealing
has no effect on the deformation of the shape of the capsule further to hot water
injection.
[0138] Actually only the specific interaction of the smallest annular part 321 of the seal
with the back side of the plastic capsule has been found to have an impact on the
shape deformation with hot water. Accordingly, by designing a plastic capsule with
a hollowed annular portion 126 matching the area of the annular seal of the needle,
the problem of capsule deformation was solved.
[0139] It has been noticed that a module 2 comprising an annular seal 32 that comprises
the smaller annular part 321 only, the same effect was obtained with the capsule according
to the invention that is no deformation was observed.
[0140] Figure 10a illustrates the displaceable first capsule engagement member 3. This member comprises
a capsule receptacle 31. The water needle 6 for piercing the capsule and injecting
water inside points out from the back side of the capsule receptacle. The first engagement
member 3 also comprises retaining means 33a, 33b on each lateral sides of the front
part of the hollow member 3. In the illustrated embodiment said retaining means are
hooks.
[0141] Figure 10b is a magnified top view of one of the hooks 33a of Figure 10a. The hook 33a comprises
an arm 331a positioned on the lateral side of the capsule receptacle 3 and extending
perpendicularly from the front side of said capsule receptacle. The arm 331a presents
a slanted free end 331b. The end is slanted in direction of centre of the capsule
receptacle 3 so that, when the first engagement member moves towards the capsule,
the slanted end 331b slides along the rim of the capsule and slightly compresses this
rim to make it enter within the slit 331c of the arm in which it is retained. The
same operation happens simultaneously with the other arm 33b on the other side of
the rim of the capsule.
[0142] Figure 11a illustrates a back view of the first capsule engagement member 3 with the capsule
1 engaged in the capsule receptacle. Some parts of the rim 125 of the capsule extend
beyond the edge 311 of the front face of the first capsule engagement member. It is
preferable that at least an essentially vertical part of the rim 125 extends beyond
the edge 311 of the front face of the first capsule engagement member. The term vertical
is to be interpreted according to the position of the capsule inside the module according
to its normal orientation for the production of a beverage.
[0143] The first capsule engagement member 3 also comprises means for coupling said member
to means of displacement that is the guiding pins 34, provided at the lateral sides
of the capsule receptacle. These guiding pins cooperate with corresponding guiding
curves in the frame of the module 2 (illustrated as reference 211 in Figure 8) in
order to guide the movement of the first capsule engagement member.
[0144] Figure 11b illustrates a front view of the first capsule engagement member 3 and the capsule
1 engaged in the capsule receptacle, the rim 125 being hold by hooks 33a, 33b.
[0145] Figures 12a to 12f are schematic views of the module 2 illustrating the movement of the capsule 1 in
the module 2 from its introduction in the module to its ejection out of the module.
The figures are top views of the module and make apparent the relative movements of
the first and second capsule engagement members 3, 4, the capsule 1, the tabs 8a,
8b, pre-fixation members 9a, 9b and the hooks 33a, 33b.
[0146] In
Figure 12a, the capsule 1 has just been introduced in the module 2. The capsule comprises a back
side hole 124 closed by a back cover 15. The rim 125 of the capsule is positioned
in space s demarcated between the front end of the module corresponding of the second
capsule engagement member 4 and the end of pre-fixation members 9a, 9b. These pre-fixation
members 9a, 9b prevent the capsule from falling in direction of the back side of the
module. A lower part of the rim 125 leans on support means (illustrated in Figure
8) to avoid that the capsule falls downwards. Accordingly the capsule is retained
by its rim 125 in this position.
[0147] The first engagement member 3 is positioned away from the capsule 1 and the second
engagement member 4. The first engagement member 3 is able to move along a longitudinal
axis XX' to and away from the second engagement member 4.
[0148] Figure 12a illustrates the presence of the two tabs 8a, 8b on the lateral sides of
the module. Generally these tabs are fixed in the lateral walls of the frame of the
module and are positioned so as to be able to contact the rim 125 of the capsule when
it is moved to the ejection position. The positions of the tabs along the longitudinal
axis XX' are offset one relative to the other by a distance I.
[0149] In
Figure 12b, the first engagement member 3 is displaced in direction of the second engagement
member 4. Simultaneously the pre-fixation members 9a, 9b begin to be moved away from
the rim of the capsule as illustrated by arrows.
[0150] In
Figure 12c, the first engagement member 3 has completed its movement in direction of the second
engagement member 4. The pre-fixation members 9a, 9b have been completely moved away
from the rim of the capsule and the capsule is maintained in the capsule receptacle
31 of the first engagement member and against the second engagement member 4. The
water needle 6 has pierced the cover 15 and entered the hole 124 of the capsule. Water
can be introduced through the needle and the beverages preparation can happen. The
rim 125 of the capsule has been engaged by the hooks 33a, 33b (not illustrated because
hidden by the capsule and the second capsule engagement member).
[0151] In
Figure 12d, the ejection movement begins. The first engagement member 3 moves back and away from
the second engagement member 4 and takes the capsule with. The pre-fixation members
9a, 9b are able to come back to their initial position as illustrated by arrows. In
Figure 12e, while the first engagement member 3 moves back, a lateral part of the rim 125 of
the capsule is retained by a first tab 8a which induces the lateral detachment of
the capsule from the capsule receptacle 31, in particular the rim 125 is detached
from the hook 33a (this one is not visible in Figure 12e because it is hidden by the
capsule) On the other lateral side, the other hook 33b still retains the rim 125.
[0152] In
Figure 12f, while the first engagement member 3 goes on moving back, another lateral part 125
of the rim of the capsule is retained by the second tab 8b which induces the full
detachment of the capsule from the capsule receptacle 31, the rim 125 being detached
from the second hook 33b. The first engagement member 3 is able to finish its movement
to its initial position, while the capsule can fall by gravity under the module 2.
[0153] In the step illustrated in Figure 12e, the capsule 1 is retained in a position where
the hole 124 of the capsule is not aligned on the axis XX' corresponding to the linear
movement of the first capsule engagement member 3 and accordingly of the water needle
6 attached to said member. Consequently, the needle 6, that was initially centred
on the hole 124 in Figures 12c and 12d, is not centred on this hole any longer at
the time the rim 125 of the capsule is retained by the first tab 8a in Figure 12e.
If the hole happens to be too small or not well centred at the manufacturing step,
the needle can rub along the edge of the hole 124 and impinge directly the way the
handle is moved back to its initial position. The operator may feel a brake on the
movement of the handle.
[0154] Figures 13a to 13c are horizontal cross section views of the module 2 illustrating the movement of the
capsule 1 in the module from its position enclosed in the module to its way to the
ejection out of the module. The figures are top views of the module and make apparent
the relative movements of the first and second capsule engagement members 3, 4 and
the capsule 1.
[0155] Figure 13a is comparable to Figure 12c where the capsule receptacle 31 has completed its movement
in direction of the second engagement member 4 and the capsule 1 is clamped between
the first and the second engagement members. The water needle 6 has pierced the cover
15 and entered the hole 124 of the capsule ; the extraction can happen.
[0156] Figure 13b is comparable to Figure 12d where the capsule ejection movement begins. The first
engagement member 3 is able to move along the longitudinal axis XX' to and away from
the second capsule engagement member 4. The first engagement member 3 moves back and
away from the second capsule engagement member 4 and takes the capsule 1 with. The
vertical walls of the frame 21 of the module comprises the retaining means in form
of tabs 8a, 8b. These tabs extend from the lateral walls of the housing to such a
length that they do not interact with the receptacle 31 of first capsule engagement
member. Yet they are positioned on the path of the rim 125 of the capsule when it
moves back with the first capsule engagement member 3. The positions of the tabs along
the longitudinal axis XX' are offset one relative to the other by a distance I.
[0157] Figure 13c is comparable to Figure 12e. While the first engagement member 3 moves back, a lateral
part 125 of the rim of the capsule is retained by the first tab 8a which induces the
lateral detachment of the capsule from the capsule receptacle 32, in particular the
part of the rim 125a is detached from the hook 33a. At this time of the movement,
the capsule is tilted and the axis YY' on which is centred the hole 124 at the back
side of the capsule is not aligned with the axis XX' any longer.
[0158] Figure 14 is a magnified view of the hole 124 in the position of Figure 13c. The cover 15 is
torn and the needle is inside the back hole 124. The misalignment between the capsule
and the axis XX' is such that the needle 6 is not centred in the middle of the hole
124 of the capsule but is closer to one lateral side of the hole 124. This figure
illustrates the importance of providing a capsule with a back hole 124 sufficiently
big to enable the needle to pass through without bumping on the edge of the hole or
even on the capsule wall around the hole.
[0159] Figure 15 illustrates a beverage preparation machine 100 comprising the beverage production
system of the invention. The machine comprises a module 2, such as illustrated in
Figures 8a and 8b. The needle of the module is connected to a fluid supply comprising
successively a check valve 101, a heater 102, a pump 103 and a fluid supply, usually
a water tank 104. Other well-known elements for supplying fluid can be alternatively
used. The different elements of the machine can be surrounded by a housing 105. The
machine can comprise a drip tray 108 for supporting and positioning a cup 109 under
the module 2. A user interface 106 can be provided to control the beverage preparation.
[0160] Figure 16 illustrates a capsule 1 similar to the capsule of Figure 1a except that the back
side of the housing is essentially flat. Compared to the capsule of Figure 1a, the
back side has been truncated and, accordingly, the depth D of the housing is shorter.
Consequently, when this capsule is introduced in the module illustrated in Figure
8, the seal 32 at the basis of the needle and the back side of the capsule are not
squeezed one against each other and no deformation of the shape of the capsule is
observed after brewing and ejection. Yet such a capsule presents as smaller internal
volume compared to the capsule illustrated in Figure 1a and 5b. Accordingly less space
is provided for the brewing of tea leaves.
List of references in the drawings :
capsule |
1 |
beverage ingredient |
11 |
housing |
12 |
front side |
121 |
backside |
122 |
water injection area |
123 |
hole |
124 |
rim |
125 |
hollow |
126 |
front cover |
13 |
front wall |
14 |
overflow |
141 |
identification member |
142 |
shearing member |
143 |
back cover |
15 |
filter |
16 |
module |
2 |
frame |
21 |
guiding curve |
211 |
first capsule engagement member |
3 |
capsule receptacle |
31 |
edge at front face of capsule receptacle |
311 |
seal |
32 |
annular part |
321, 322 |
hooks |
33a, 33b |
guiding pin |
34 |
second capsule engagement member |
4 |
actuator |
5 |
water needle |
6 |
opening |
7 |
support means |
71 |
retaining means |
8a, 8b |
pre-fixation members |
9a, 9b |
beverage machine |
100 |
check valve |
101 |
heater |
102 |
pump |
103 |
tank |
104 |
housing |
105 |
user interface |
106 |
drip tray |
107 |
cup |
108 |
1. Capsule (1) containing beverage ingredient (11), such as tea leaves, configured for
preparing a beverage, such as tea, by injection of hot water therein and comprising
:
- a housing (12) for storing said beverage ingredient, said housing comprising :
- a front opened side (121),
- a back side (122) comprising a water injection area (123), said water injection
area comprising a hole (124) in the housing,
- a rim (125) extending from the front opened side, and
- a front cover (13) and/or a wall (14) closing the front opened side of the housing,
and
- a back cover (15) closing the hole (124) of the water injection area, and
- the housing (12) presenting a cross section varying from the back side to the front
side from a circular section to a globally triangular section - with smooth rounded
corners - respectively, and
characterized in that :
- the housing (12) is made of plastic material, and
- the back side (122) of the housing comprises a hollow (126) around the water injection
area (123), said hollow extending inside the internal volume of the housing and said
hollow extending at least along an annular portion surrounding the hole (124) of the
water injection area.
2. Capsule according to Claim 1, wherein the plastic material is a thermoforming polymer.
3. Capsule according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the plastic material is a polypropylene
(PP) based plastic material.
4. Capsule according to any one of the precedent claims, wherein the hollow (126) presents
the shape of a ring surrounding the hole (124) of the water injection area.
5. Capsule according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the hollow (126) presents the
shape of a circle comprising the hole (124) of the water injection area.
6. Capsule according to any one of the precedent claims, wherein :
- the housing (12) presents :
• a largest height H comprised between 47,9 and 48,5 mm, and
• a largest width W comprised between 36,7 and 37,3 mm, and
• a largest depth D comprised between 24,1 and 24,3 mm, and
- the annular portion surrounding the hole (124) of the water injection area and along
which the hollow extends presents an internal diameter of 10 mm and an external diameter
of 14 mm.
7. Capsule according to any one of the precedent claims wherein at least along the annular
portion surrounding the hole (124) of the water injection area, the depth of the hollow
is of at least 0,7 mm.
8. Capsule according to any one of the precedent claims wherein the hole (124) of the
water injection area presents a diameter of at least 4 mm, preferably of at least
5 mm, even more preferably of at least 6 mm.
9. Capsule according to any one of the precedent claims wherein the housing (12) of the
capsule is manufactured by :
- thermoforming the housing, and then
- punching of the hole (124) at the back side of the housing.
10. A beverage production system comprising a capsule according to any one of the precedent
claims and a module (2) for producing a beverage from the capsule,
- the module (2) comprising :
• a first capsule engagement member (3), which can be displaced relative to a second,
co-operating capsule engagement member (4) between a capsule discharge position and
a beverage production position,
• means (5) for actively retracting the first capsule engagement member (3) from the
beverage production position to the capsule discharge position in which the capsule
(1) is discharged from the first capsule engagement member (3),
- the displaceable first capsule engagement member (3) comprising :
• a capsule receptacle (31), said capsule receptacle shape matching at least a part
of the outer shape of the housing (12) of the capsule, and
• a water needle (6) for entering the capsule through the hole (124) at the back side
of the capsule housing and injecting water in the capsule, and
• a seal (32) at the basis of the water needle, said seal comprising at least one
annular part (321), said at least annular part matching at least the shape of the
annular portion of the hollow surrounding the hole of the water injection area of
the capsule.
11. A beverage production system according to the precedent claim and comprising a capsule
according to Claim 8, wherein :
- the capsule (1) presents a rim size such that at least a part of the rim (125) of
the capsule extends beyond at least a part of the first capsule engagement member
(3) once it is engaged in the first capsule engagement member, and
- the displaceable first capsule engagement member (3) comprises holding means configured
for holding the capsule within the capsule receptacle (31),
- the module comprises at least two means (8a, 8b) for retaining the rim of the capsule
extending beyond the first capsule engagement member when said first capsule engagement
member (3) is displaced from the beverage production position to its capsule discharge
position,
wherein said holding means are discrete hooks (341, 342) configured to engage with
the rim (125) of the capsule, and
wherein said two means (8a, 8b) for retaining the rim of the capsule are configured
so that, during the displacement of the first capsule engagement member (3) from the
beverage production position to its capsule discharge position, one (8b) of the two
retaining means engages the rim of the capsule before the other retaining means (8a).
12. A beverage production system according to the precedent claim, wherein :
- one retaining means (8a, 8b) is positioned on each lateral side of the longitudinal
axis (XX') of displacement of the first capsule engagement member (3), and
- the positions of the two retaining means along said longitudinal axis of displacement
are offset one relative to the other.
13. A beverage production system according to the precedent claim, wherein the positions
of the two retaining means (8a, 8b) along the longitudinal axis of the housing of
the module are offset one relative to the other by at least 1 mm, preferably by at
most 5 mm, even more preferably by 3 and 4 mm.
14. Use of a capsule according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 in a beverage production system
according to any of Claims 10 to 13, wherein :
- the water needle (6) enters the hole (124) comprised in the water injection area
at the back side of the capsule housing, and
- the annular part (321) of the seal at the basis of the water needle cooperates with
the hollow (126) surrounding the hole of the water injection area of the capsule.
15. A beverage production system comprising a module (2) for producing a beverage from
a capsule,
- the module (2) comprising :
• a first capsule engagement member (3), which can be displaced relative to a second,
co-operating capsule engagement member (4) between a capsule discharge position and
a beverage production position,
• means (5) for actively retracting the first capsule engagement member (3) from the
beverage production position to the capsule discharge position in which the capsule
(1) is discharged from the first capsule engagement member (3),
• the displaceable first capsule engagement member (3) comprising :
• a capsule receptacle (31), said capsule receptacle shape matching at least a part
of the outer shape of the housing (12) of the capsule, and
• a water needle (6) for entering the capsule through the hole (124) at the back side
of the capsule housing and injecting water in the capsule, and
• a seal (32) at the basis of the water needle, said seal comprising at least one
annular part (321), said at least annular part matching at least the shape of the
annular portion of the hollow surrounding the hole of the water injection area of
the capsule,
and
- a capsule (1) containing beverage ingredient (11), such as tea leaves, configured
for preparing a beverage, such as tea, by injection of hot water therein and comprising
:
- a housing (12) for storing said beverage ingredient, said housing comprising :
• a front opened side (121),
• a back side (122) comprising a water injection area (123), said water injection
area comprising a hole (124) in the housing,
• a rim (125) extending from the front opened side, and
- a front cover (13) and/or a wall (14) closing the front opened side of the housing,
and
- a back cover (15) closing the hole (124) of the water injection area, and
- the housing (12) presenting a cross section varying from the back side to the front
side from a circular section to a globally triangular section - with smooth rounded
corners - respectively, and
wherein :
- the housing (12) is made of plastic material, and
- the back side (122) of the housing is designed so that it is not squeezed against
the seal at the basis of the water needle when the capsule (1) is housed in the capsule
receptacle (31) and the first capsule engagement member (3) is in the beverage production
position.
16. A housing (12) of a capsule for holding beverage ingredient, said housing comprising
:
- a front opened side (121),
- a back side (122) comprising a water injection area (123), said water injection
area comprising a hole (124) in the housing,
- a rim (125) extending from the front opened side, and
- the housing (12) presenting a cross section varying from the back side to the front
side from a circular section to a globally triangular section - with smooth rounded
corners - respectively, and
wherein :
- the housing (12) is made of plastic material, and
- the back side (122) of the housing comprises a hollow (126) around the water injection
area (123), said hollow extending inside the internal volume of the housing and said
hollow extending at least along an annular portion surrounding the hole (124) of the
water injection area.
17. A housing according to Claim 16 wherein a back cover (15) closes the hole (124) of
the water injection area.
1. Kapsel (1), enthaltend eine Getränkezutat (11), wie zum Beispiel Teeblätter, die zum
Zubereiten eines Getränks wie z. B. Tee durch Einspritzung von heißem Wasser darin
eingerichtet ist und umfasst:
- ein Gehäuse (12) zum Speichern der Getränkezutat, wobei das Gehäuse umfasst:
- eine vordere geöffnete Seite (121),
- eine Rückseite (122), umfassend einen Wassereinspritzbereich (123), wobei der Wassereinspritzbereich
ein Loch (124) in dem Gehäuse umfasst,
- einen Rand (125), der sich von der vorderen geöffneten Seite erstreckt, und
- eine vordere Abdeckung (13) und/oder eine Wand (14), welche die vordere geöffnete
Seite des Gehäuses verschließt/verschließen, und
- eine hintere Abdeckung (15), die das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs verschließt,
und
- das Gehäuse(12), das einen Querschnitt zeigt, der sich von der Rückseite zur Vorderseite
bzw. von einem kreisförmigen Abschnitt zu einem global dreieckigen Abschnitt - mit
glatten abgerundeten Ecken - ändert, und dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
das Gehäuse (12) aus Kunststoffmaterial hergestellt ist und
- die Rückseite (122) des Gehäuses einen Hohlraum (126) um den Wassereinspritzbereich
(123) umfasst, wobei sich der Hohlraum innerhalb des Innenvolumens des Gehäuses erstreckt
und sich der Hohlraum mindestens entlang eines ringförmigen Abschnitts erstreckt,
der das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs umgibt.
2. Kapsel nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Kunststoffmaterial ein wärmehärtendes Polymer ist.
3. Kapsel nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei das Kunststoffmaterial ein Kunststoffmaterial
auf der Basis von Polypropylen (PP) ist.
4. Kapsel nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Hohlraum (126) die Form
eines Rings zeigt, der das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs umgibt.
5. Kapsel nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei der Hohlraum (126) die Form eines Kreises
zeigt, umfassend das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs.
6. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei:
- das Gehäuse (12) zeigt:
e ine größte Höhe H, die zwischen 47,9 und 48,5 mm beträgt, und
e ine größte Breite W, die zwischen 36,7 und 37,3 mm beträgt, und
e ine größte Tiefe D, die zwischen 24,1 und 24,3 mm beträgt, und
- der ringförmige Abschnitt, der das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs umgibt
und entlang dessen sich der Hohlraum erstreckt, einen Innendurchmesser von 10 mm und
einen Außendurchmesser von 14 mm zeigt.
7. Kapsel nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei mindestens entlang des ringförmigen
Abschnitts, der das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs umgibt, die Tiefe des Hohlraums
mindestens 0,7 mm beträgt.
8. Kapsel nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs
einen Durchmesser von mindestens 4 mm, vorzugsweise von mindestens 5 mm, noch mehr
bevorzugt von mindestens 6 mm zeigt.
9. Kapsel nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Gehäuse (12) der Kapsel
hergestellt ist durch:
- Thermoformen des Gehäuses und dann
- Stanzen des Lochs (124) an der Rückseite des Gehäuses.
10. Getränkeherstellungssystem, umfassend eine Kapsel nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche
und ein Modul (2) zum Herstellen eines Getränks aus der Kapsel,
- wobei das Modul (2) umfasst:
- ein erstes Kapseleingriffselement (3), das relativ zu einem zweiten zusammenwirkenden
Kapseleingriffselement (4) zwischen einer Kapselausgabeposition und einer Getränkeherstellungsposition
verschoben werden kann,
· Mittel (5) zum aktiven Zurückziehen des ersten Kapseleingriffselements (3) von der
Getränkeherstellungsposition in die Kapselausgabeposition, in der die Kapsel (1) aus
dem ersten Kapseleingriffselement (3) ausgegeben wird,
- wobei das verschiebbare erste Kapseleingriffselement (3) umfasst:
- eine Kapselaufnahme (31), wobei die Kapselaufnahmeform mindestens mit einem Teil
der äußeren Form des Gehäuses (12) der Kapsel übereinstimmt, und
- eine Wassernadel (6) zum Eindringen in die Kapsel durch das Loch (124) an der Rückseite
des Kapselgehäuses und zum Einspritzen von Wasser in die Kapsel, und
- eine Dichtung (32) am Unterteil der Wassernadel, wobei die Dichtung mindestens einen
ringförmigen Teil (321) umfasst, wobei der mindestens ringförmige Teil mindestens
mit der Form des ringförmigen Abschnitts des Hohlraums übereinstimmt, der das Loch
des Wassereinspritzbereichs der Kapsel umgibt.
11. Getränkeherstellungssystem nach dem vorhergehenden Anspruch und umfassend eine Kapsel
nach Anspruch 8, wobei:
- die Kapsel (1) eine derartige Randgröße zeigt, dass sich mindestens ein Teil des
Rands (125) der Kapsel über mindestens einen Teil des ersten Kapseleingriffselements
(3) hinaus erstreckt, sobald dieser mit dem ersten Kapseleingriffselement in Eingriff
steht, und
- das verschiebbare erste Kapseleingriffselement (3) Haltemittel zum Halten der Kapsel
in der Kapselaufnahme (31) umfasst,
- das Modul mindestens zwei Mittel (8a, 8b) zum Halten des Rands der Kapsel umfasst,
der sich über das erste Kapseleingriffselement hinaus erstreckt, wenn das erste Kapseleingriffselement
(3) aus der Getränkeherstellungsposition in seine Kapselausgabeposition verschoben
ist,
wobei die Haltemittel getrennte Haken (341, 342) sind, die so eingerichtet sind, dass
sie mit dem Rand (125) der Kapsel in Eingriff gelangen, und
wobei die zwei Mittel (8a, 8b) zum Halten des Rands der Kapsel so eingerichtet sind,
dass während der Verschiebung des ersten Kapseleingriffselements (3) von der Getränkeherstellungsposition
in die Kapselausgabeposition eines (8b) der zwei Haltemittel vor dem anderen Haltemittel
(8a) mit dem Rand der Kapsel in Eingriff gelangt.
12. Getränkeherstellungssystem nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei:
- ein Haltemittel (8a, 8b) auf jeder lateralen Seite der Verschiebungslängsachse (XX')
des ersten Kapseleingriffselements (3) positioniert ist und
- die Positionen der zwei Haltemittel entlang der Verschiebungslängsachse relativ
zueinander versetzt sind.
13. Getränkeherstellungssystem nach dem vorhergehenden Anspruch, wobei die Positionen
der zwei Haltemittel (8a, 8b) entlang der Längsachse des Gehäuses des Moduls relativ
zueinander um mindestens 1 mm, vorzugsweise um höchstens 5 mm, noch mehr bevorzugt
um 3 und 4 mm versetzt sind.
14. Verwendung einer Kapsel nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 9 in einem Getränkeherstellungssystem
nach einem der Ansprüche 10 bis 13, wobei:
- die Wassernadel (6) in das Loch (124) eintritt, das im Wassereinspritzbereich an
der Rückseite des Kapselgehäuses umfasst ist, und
- der ringförmige Teil (321) der Dichtung am Unterteil der Wassernadel mit dem Hohlraum
(126) zusammenwirkt, der das Loch des Wassereinspritzbereichs der Kapsel umgibt.
15. Getränkeherstellungssystem, umfassend ein Modul (2) zum Herstellen eines Getränks
aus einer Kapsel,
- wobei das Modul (2) umfasst:
- ein erstes Kapseleingriffselement (3), das relativ zu einem zweiten zusammenwirkenden
Kapseleingriffselement (4) zwischen einer Kapselausgabeposition und einer Getränkeherstellungsposition
verschoben werden kann,
- Mittel (5) zum aktiven Zurückziehen des ersten Kapseleingriffselements (3) von der
Getränkeherstellungsposition in die Kapselausgabeposition, in der die Kapsel (1) aus
dem ersten Kapseleingriffselement (3) ausgegeben wird,
- wobei das verschiebbare erste Kapseleingriffselement (3) umfasst:
- eine Kapselaufnahme (31), wobei die Kapselaufnahmeform mindestens mit einem Teil
der äußeren Form des Gehäuses (12) der Kapsel übereinstimmt, und
- eine Wassernadel (6) zum Eindringen in die Kapsel durch das Loch (124) an der Rückseite
des Kapselgehäuses und zum Einspritzen von Wasser in die Kapsel, und
- eine Dichtung (32) am Unterteil der Wassernadel, wobei die Dichtung mindestens einen
ringförmigen Teil (321) umfasst, wobei der mindestens ringförmige Teil mindestens
mit der Form des ringförmigen Abschnitts des Hohlraums übereinstimmt, der das Loch
des Wassereinspritzbereichs der Kapsel umgibt,
und
- eine Kapsel (1), enthaltend eine Getränkezutat (11), wie zum Beispiel Teeblätter,
die zum Zubereiten eines Getränks wie z. B. Tee durch Einspritzung von heißem Wasser
in die Kapsel eingerichtet ist und umfasst:
- ein Gehäuse (12) zum Speichern der Getränkezutat, wobei das Gehäuse umfasst:
- eine vordere geöffnete Seite (121),
- eine Rückseite (122), die einen Wassereinspritzbereich (123) umfasst, wobei der
Wassereinspritzbereich ein Loch (124) im Gehäuse umfasst,
- einen Rand (125), der sich von der vorderen geöffneten Seite erstreckt, und
- eine vordere Abdeckung (13) und/oder eine Wand (14), welche die vordere geöffnete
Seite des Gehäuses verschließt/verschließen, und
- eine hintere Abdeckung (15), die das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs verschließt,
und
- das Gehäuse (12) einen Querschnitt zeigt, der sich von der Rückseite zur Vorderseite
bzw. von einem kreisförmigen Abschnitt zu einem global dreieckigen Abschnitt - mit
glatten abgerundeten Ecken - ändert, und
wobei:
- das Gehäuse (12) aus Kunststoffmaterial hergestellt ist und
- die Rückseite (122) des Gehäuses so ausgelegt ist, dass sie nicht gegen die Dichtung
am Unterteil der Wassernadel gedrückt wird, wenn die Kapsel (1) in der Kapselaufnahme
(31) untergebracht ist und sich das erste Kapseleingriffselement (3) in der Getränkeherstellungsposition
befindet.
16. Gehäuse (12) einer Kapsel zum Halten einer Getränkezutat, wobei das Gehäuse umfasst:
- eine vordere geöffnete Seite (121),
- eine Rückseite (122), umfassend einen Wassereinspritzbereich (123), wobei der Wassereinspritzbereich
ein Loch (124) in dem Gehäuse umfasst,
- einen Rand (125), der sich von der vorderen geöffneten Seite erstreckt, und
- das Gehäuse (12) einen Querschnitt zeigt, der sich von der Rückseite zur Vorderseite
bzw. von einem kreisförmigen Abschnitt zu einem global dreieckigen Abschnitt - mit
glatten abgerundeten Ecken - ändert, und
wobei:
- das Gehäuse (12) aus Kunststoffmaterial hergestellt ist und
- die Rückseite (122) des Gehäuses einen Hohlraum (126) um den Wassereinspritzbereich
(123) umfasst, wobei sich der Hohlraum innerhalb des Innenvolumens des Gehäuses erstreckt
und sich der Hohlraum mindestens entlang eines ringförmigen Abschnitts erstreckt,
der das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs umgibt.
17. Gehäuse nach Anspruch 16, wobei eine hintere Abdeckung (15) das Loch (124) des Wassereinspritzbereichs
verschließt.
1. Capsule (1) contenant un ingrédient de boisson (11), tel que des feuilles de thé,
configurée pour la préparation d'une boisson, telle que le thé, par injection d'eau
chaude dans celle-ci et comprenant :
- un boîtier (12) pour stocker ledit ingrédient de boisson, ledit boîtier comprenant
:
- un côté ouvert avant (121),
- un côté arrière (122) comprenant une zone d'injection d'eau (123), ladite zone d'injection
d'eau comprenant un trou (124) dans le boîtier,
- un rebord (125) s'étendant depuis le côté ouvert avant, et
- un couvercle avant (13) et/ou une paroi (14) fermant le côté ouvert avant du boîtier,
et
- un couvercle arrière (15) fermant le trou (124) de la zone d'injection d'eau, et
- le boîtier (12) présentant une section transversale variant du côté arrière au côté
avant d'une section circulaire à une section globalement triangulaire - avec des coins
arrondis lisses - respectivement, et caractérisée en ce que
- le boîtier (12) est réalisé en matière plastique, et
- le côté arrière (122) du boîtier comprend un creux (126) autour de la zone d'injection
d'eau (123), ledit creux s'étendant à l'intérieur du volume interne du boîtier et
ledit creux s'étendant au moins le long d'une partie annulaire entourant le trou (124)
de la zone d'injection d'eau.
2. Capsule selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle la matière plastique est un polymère
de thermoformage.
3. Capsule selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans laquelle la matière plastique est une
matière plastique à base de polypropylène (PP).
4. Capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle le creux
(126) présente la forme d'un anneau entourant le trou (124) de la zone d'injection
d'eau.
5. Capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle le creux (126)
présente la forme d'un cercle comprenant le trou (124) de la zone d'injection d'eau.
6. Capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle :
- le boîtier (12) présente :
une hauteur la plus grande H comprise entre 47,9 et 48,5 mm, et
une largeur la plus grande W comprise entre 36,7 et 37,3 mm, et
une profondeur la plus grande D comprise entre 24,1 et 24,3 mm, et
- la partie annulaire entourant le trou (124) de la zone d'injection d'eau et le long
de laquelle s'étend le creux présente un diamètre interne de 10 mm et un diamètre
externe de 14 mm.
7. Capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes dans laquelle au moins
le long de la partie annulaire entourant le trou (124) de la zone d'injection d'eau,
la profondeur du creux est d'au moins 0,7 mm.
8. Capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes dans laquelle le trou
(124) de la zone d'injection d'eau présente un diamètre d'au moins 4 mm, de préférence
d'au moins 5 mm, encore plus préférablement d'au moins 6 mm.
9. Capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes dans laquelle le boîtier
(12) de la capsule est fabriqué par :
- thermoformage du boîtier, puis
- poinçonnage du trou (124) au niveau du côté arrière du boîtier.
10. Système de production d'une boisson comprenant une capsule selon l'une quelconque
des revendications précédentes et un module (2) pour la production d'une boisson à
partir de la capsule,
- le module (2) comprenant :
un premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule (3), qui peut être déplacé par rapport
à un deuxième élément d'engagement avec la capsule (4) en coopération entre une position
d'expulsion de la capsule et une position de production d'une boisson,
un moyen (5) pour rétracter activement le premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule
(3) depuis la position de production d'une boisson vers la position d'expulsion de
la capsule dans laquelle la capsule (1) est expulsée du premier élément d'engagement
avec la capsule (3),
- le premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule déplaçable (3) comprenant :
un réceptacle à capsule (31), la forme dudit réceptacle à capsule correspondant à
au moins une partie de la forme externe du boîtier (12) de la capsule, et
une aiguille à eau (6) pour entrer dans la capsule à travers le trou (124) au niveau
du côté arrière du boîtier de capsule et injecter de l'eau dans la capsule, et
un joint (32) à la base de l'aiguille à eau, ledit joint comprenant au moins une partie
annulaire (321), ladite au moins une partie annulaire correspondant au moins à la
forme de la partie annulaire du creux entourant le trou de la zone d'injection d'eau
de la capsule.
11. Système de production d'une boisson selon la revendication précédente et comprenant
une capsule selon la revendication 8, dans lequel :
- la capsule (1) présente une dimension de rebord telle qu'au moins une partie du
rebord (125) de la capsule s'étend au-delà d'au moins une partie du premier élément
d'engagement avec la capsule (3) une fois qu'elle est engagée dans le premier élément
d'engagement avec la capsule, et
- le premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule déplaçable (3) comprend des moyens
de maintien configurés pour maintenir la capsule à l'intérieur du réceptacle à capsule
(31),
- le module comprend au moins deux moyens (8a, 8b) pour retenir le rebord de la capsule
s'étendant au-delà du premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule lorsque ledit premier
élément d'engagement avec la capsule (3) est déplacé depuis la position de production
d'une boisson vers sa position d'expulsion de la capsule,
dans lequel lesdits moyens de maintien sont des crochets distincts (341, 342) configurés
pour s'engager avec le rebord (125) de la capsule, et
dans lequel lesdits deux moyens (8a, 8b) pour retenir le rebord de la capsule sont
configurés de sorte que, lors du déplacement du premier élément d'engagement avec
la capsule (3) depuis la position de production d'une boisson vers sa position d'expulsion
de la capsule, l'un (8b) des deux moyens de retenue s'engage avec le rebord de la
capsule avant l'autre moyen de retenue (8a).
12. Système de production d'une boisson selon la revendication précédente, dans lequel
:
- un moyen de retenue (8a, 8b) est positionné sur chaque côté latéral de l'axe longitudinal
(XX') de déplacement du premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule (3), et
- les positions des deux moyens de retenue le long dudit axe longitudinal de déplacement
sont décalées l'une par rapport à l'autre.
13. Système de production d'une boisson selon la revendication précédente, dans lequel
les positions des deux moyens de retenue (8a, 8b) le long de l'axe longitudinal du
boîtier du module sont décalées l'une par rapport à l'autre d'au moins 1 mm, de préférence
d'au plus 5 mm, encore plus préférablement de 3 et 4 mm.
14. Utilisation d'une capsule selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9 dans un
système de production d'une boisson selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à
13, dans laquelle :
- l'aiguille à eau (6) pénètre dans le trou (124) compris dans la zone d'injection
d'eau au niveau du côté arrière du boîtier de capsule, et
- la partie annulaire (321) du joint à la base de l'aiguille à eau coopère avec le
creux (126) entourant le trou de la zone d'injection d'eau de la capsule.
15. Système de production d'une boisson comprenant un module (2) pour la production d'une
boisson à partir d'une capsule,
- le module (2) comprenant :
un premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule (3), qui peut être déplacé par rapport
à un deuxième élément d'engagement avec la capsule (4) en coopération entre une position
d'expulsion de la capsule et une position de production d'une boisson,
un moyen (5) pour rétracter activement le premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule
(3) depuis la position de production d'une boisson vers la position d'expulsion de
la capsule dans laquelle la capsule (1) est expulsée du premier élément d'engagement
avec la capsule (3),
le premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule déplaçable (3) comprenant :
un réceptacle à capsule (31), la forme dudit réceptacle à capsule correspondant à
au moins une partie de la forme externe du boîtier (12) de la capsule, et
une aiguille à eau (6) pour entrer dans la capsule à travers le trou (124) au niveau
du côté arrière du boîtier de capsule et injecter de l'eau dans la capsule, et
un joint (32) à la base de l'aiguille à eau, ledit joint comprenant au moins une partie
annulaire (321), ladite au moins une partie annulaire correspondant au moins à la
forme de la partie annulaire du creux entourant le trou de la zone d'injection d'eau
de la capsule,
et
- une capsule (1) contenant un ingrédient de boisson (11), tel que des feuilles de
thé, configurée pour la préparation d'une boisson, telle que le thé, par injection
d'eau chaude dans celle-ci et comprenant :
- un boîtier (12) pour stocker ledit ingrédient de boisson, ledit boîtier comprenant
:
un côté ouvert avant (121),
un côté arrière (122) comprenant une zone d'injection d'eau (123), ladite zone d'injection
d'eau comprenant un trou (124) dans le boîtier,
un rebord (125) s'étendant depuis le côté ouvert avant, et
- un couvercle avant (13) et/ou une paroi (14) fermant le côté ouvert avant du boîtier,
et
- un couvercle arrière (15) fermant le trou (124) de la zone d'injection d'eau, et
- le boîtier (12) présentant une section transversale variant du côté arrière au côté
avant d'une section circulaire à une section globalement triangulaire - avec des coins
arrondis lisses - respectivement, et
dans lequel :
- le boîtier (12) est réalisé en matière plastique, et
- le côté arrière (122) du boîtier est conçu de sorte qu'il n'est pas pressé contre
le joint à la base de l'aiguille à eau lorsque la capsule (1) est logée dans le réceptacle
à capsule (31) et que le premier élément d'engagement avec la capsule (3) est dans
la position de production de boisson.
16. Boîtier (12) d'une capsule pour contenir un ingrédient de boisson, ledit boîtier comprenant
:
- un côté ouvert avant (121),
- un côté arrière (122) comprenant une zone d'injection d'eau (123), ladite zone d'injection
d'eau comprenant un trou (124) dans le boîtier,
- un rebord (125) s'étendant depuis le côté ouvert avant, et
- le boîtier (12) présentant une section transversale variant du côté arrière au côté
avant d'une section circulaire à une section globalement triangulaire - avec des coins
arrondis lisses - respectivement, et
dans lequel :
- le boîtier (12) est réalisé en matière plastique, et
- le côté arrière (122) du boîtier comprend un creux (126) autour de la zone d'injection
d'eau (123), ledit creux s'étendant à l'intérieur du volume interne du boîtier et
ledit creux s'étendant au moins le long d'une partie annulaire entourant le trou (124)
de la zone d'injection d'eau.
17. Boîtier selon la revendication 16 dans lequel un couvercle arrière (15) ferme le trou
(124) de la zone d'injection d'eau.